8/16/2018 Monk Seal Dailies: (part 1) RO28, RR70, RH32, RN14 & RL42

Today's dailies are brought to you by Team Billand and Lesley. Lesley's complete Ka'ena Update is part 2 of the dailies.  I also heard that Rocky was back on Oahu, I don't have any photos to share at this time, but I am sure we'll have some soon.

Team Billand was out early this morning, but they were not at the outfall. Instead they headed over to Plains and spotted two seals on shore side by side. There were signs up, small zone put up by the surfers (another good example of building relationships with the community). Team Billand put up ropes, because were starting to walk pass the signs. 

Team Billand called the hotline and ID'd Pohaku RO28 & RIP RR70. At 8:30 they spoke to a friend that use to be a volunteer if she would hang out with the seals, because they had to leave. Thank you Laurie for helping out the posse. Not five minutes later Laurie called that a third seal came up on shore fighting with RIP. Team Billand ran back only to find RIP, alert and in his best macho posture, still with Pohaku who had dashed up to get away from the fight.  Team Billand just missed the 3rd seal and no one got a photo. So they headed out again and a volunteer was arriving.

After leaving Pohaku and RIP Team Billand had been to the outfall and it was monk seal free today. Hmmmm maybe the fish are getting smart. Although they were told one was there about 15 minutes before they arrived. So Team Billand headed over to a nearby beach. There they found the bosom buddies hauled out on the rocks.  
Team Billand noticed a woman running to the site, a man already taking pictures with a huge camera, and a drone flying by. Apparently this team is filming the "bosom buddies" and got some action shots of the two in the water having words.  Team Billand did ask them to please keep a safe distance, especially since they had a large lens. They went down to where the seals were anyway. SHAME!
The "film" team finally left and Team Billand decided to leave as well.

Then at 2:30 Team Billand made the Ka'ean West Trek ( soooo hot) and all the way out to the 40 min mark. They found RL42 Leia molting. She was on her side at first, making her belly visible. She moved around a bit and then her backside was visible. Neck is clean and flippers still peeling. She is over 45% molted.  She was alone and no one was around, so Team Billand left her resting.

 Pohaku & RIP

Bosom Buddies!  Ka'ale and Kalani 

RL42 Leia